Marching to their own beat

CONEMAUGH TOWNSHIP - Thirteen high school marching bands took the field at the Indians' high school on Saturday, each looking to rock the stadium with a stylized performance.

They were competing in an invitational where the top scoring bands looking to travel to a Nov. 1 event being held at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

More than 500 students from throughout the region flashed brass instruments, waved flags and banged their drums to their own beat.

While winners were crowned and individual schools honored, the program runs deeper than that, said Suzette Gardenhour, band director at Conemaugh Township.

“These kids compete against each other for 14 minutes on the field, but then they come off and they're friends. Some of them have known each other for years,” she said.

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The marching band competitions also allow students to showcase their talent and teamwork. “This is very education based,” she said. “They learn it's not all about a single person, it's about how you perform as a group.”